Tripod maintenance:
Tightening the Apex Axle Joints

Are you beginning to notice an increased amount of wiggle in your tripod legs near the apex? Do the legs pivot into the closed position with little effort, sometimes even under its own weight? Is one leg noticeably easier or harder to pivot? What you are likely experiencing is the tripod apex axle joints loosening over time. Periodically, the apex axle joints need to be serviced in order to maintain a consistent feel and minimize wiggle in the joints. To service the apex axle joints, follow this simple procedure:

Need:

RRS Tripod
3/16″ Hex Key (2)
Rocket Blower
*Acetone
*Clean Rag
*Loctite 242

1

Loosening the screws.

Take two 3/16” hex wrenches or our RRS MTX and loosen the screws at one of the the axle joints. Use one hex wrench to keep the screw from spinning. Use the other hex wrench to loosen the screw on the opposite side. One screw should come off easily and the other should stay attached to the axle. The axle should remain in the tripod apex.
2

Separated screw joints.

With one screw removed, ensure no debris is inside the axle or on the screw threads. Use compressed air or a rocket blower to remove loose dust.

*If there is grease, oil or grime on the threads of the axle or screw, use some acetone or mineral spirits on a cotton swab to clean it. Allow the solvent to completely evaporate before continuing
3
Reinstall the screw into the axle and tighten using the 3/16” hex wrenches. Set the desired leg joint tension by adjusting the tightness of the screws. Make small adjustments until you reach your desired leg tension.
4
Repeat this procedure for all three apex axle joints as necessary.
*

Use Loctite 242 to strengthen the joint.

Optional: To prevent accidental adjustment of the leg tension, place a drop or two of semi-permanent thread adhesive such as Loctite 242 on the screw threads prior to reinstalling it into the axle in step 3. Note that if the threads have grease or oil on them, the thread adhesive will not be able to cure properly. Semi-permanent thread adhesive is available in most hardware stores or you can call our friendly customer service representatives here at Really Right Stuff and we would be more than happy to supply you with some.

4 Comments

Stan Burman says:

February 20, 2013 at 2:01 am · Reply

Thanks. I am having this precise problem. This helps.
- Really Right Stuff says:
  
  February 20, 2013 at 4:01 pm · Reply
  
  Awesome to hear Stan. It’s a quick, easy fix for those legs that get a lot of use.
Daniel Levy says:

May 12, 2013 at 5:02 pm · Reply

My legs are loose, but less than a month old. I had tightened 2 separate legs independently when they became loose, today it occurred again – is it possible there is a bigger issue here?

I’ll try to call you guys this week about it.
- Jim @ RRS says:
  
  May 13, 2013 at 10:18 am · Reply
  
  Hi Daniel,
  
  We can definitely help you get to the bottom of that. If you’ve already added Loctite to the leg angle screws, perhaps a bit more would keep them at your setting for longer.
  
  -Jim